Merchandising display apparatus



United States Patent [72] inventor Philip A. Engel Lawrence, N.Y. (910 Railroad Ave.,

[54] MERCHANDISING DISPLAY APPARATUS 10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

3,386,590 6/1968 Gretz Primary Examiner-Nile C. Byers, J r. Attorne 'Kirschstein, Kirschstein, Ottinger & Frank ABSTRACT: A merchandising display apparatus includes a plurality of hollow tubular cylindrical metal rods of varying lengths. The rods are interconnected to form a composite skeletal display fixture rack, i.e. horse, garment tree or the like. At the junction between any two of the rods in a com posite display fixture, a wooden spherical connecting element is located. The connecting element includes a plurality of spaced inwardly tapering radial sockets. The mouth of each socket is larger than the diameter of the tubular rods while the base of each socket is of a smaller diameter so that the end of a rod may be securely forced into a selected socket Positioned along the surfaces of the rods at spaced intervals are a plurality of helically wound coil segments formed of a relatively thick (e.g. approximating the thickness of the rod wall) metal wire. The coil segments separate the lengths of the rods into zones from which garments may be hung or over which garments may be draped.

MERCHANDISING DISPLAY APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention Knock-down merchandising display racks.

2. Background of the lnvention In the retail field there has been a long felt need for attractive merchandising and display fixtures which would be capable of being rapidly dismantled and subsequently reassembled in an optionally different form. This would thus give a small retailer an opportunity to adequately compete with larger retailers who, upon the change of styles generally and especially upon the change of seasonal wear, completely revise their display arrangements and fixtures. The larger retailer, i.e. department stores, discount chains, etc., market their merchandise on a sufficient volume to render the purchase of new merchandising display racks economically feasible.

Unfortunately, the small scale retailer, i.e. boutique shop and neighborhood dress shop, is often financially unable to completely reorganize his display arrangements and must therefore settle for either a slipshod, piecemeal rearrangement of existing display racks or simply drape his new merchandise over the existing racks without making any change at all.

There are presently in use many retail display arrangements such as racks, horses, tables and clothing trees. Most of these devices are quite expensive to initially purchase and after purchase are of fixed structure precluding the possibility of the retailer changing their shapes to present a new appearance for the various clothing seasons and fads.

Additionally, it has been found that when garments such as dresses, suits, etc., of varying sizes are hung from a single suspension rod or display rack, it often is difficult to prevent intermingling of the varying sizes. Some attempts have been made to maintain size discrimination ofall garments hung on a single supporting rod. Among such devices are signal flags formed of synthetic plastic which include a garment size designation and which are usually clipped over or around the supporting rod. The signal devices are not fixed with respect to the rod and therefore permit customers to push a large number of hangers containing the clothing along the rod toward one end thereof which creates many difficulties. The resulting clothing density along portions of the suspension rod varies greatly, creating problems in removing garments from the suspension rods as well as examining the clothing itself. A further difficulty encountered with 'priorretail display apparatus was the fact that only the most expensive types were disassembleable and even these were not capable of reassembly in a different form, e.g., a transformation from a clothing rack to a clothing horse. Thus, for each type of display apparatus, a separate individual display fixture had to be purchased.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a merchandising display apparatus of the character described which is not subject to any of the foregoing disadvantages.

lt is a further object of the present invention to provide a merchandising display apparatus of the character described which is simple, durable and rigid in construction, yet can be fabricated from a kit made by mass production methods at an appreciably lower cost than prior devices designed to serve the same function.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a merchandising display apparatus of the character described which is capable of easy rapid assembly and disassembly while providing an almost infinite variety of possible separate sizes and shapes of display fixtures.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a merchandising display apparatus of the character described wherein the length of a merchandise supporting-rod forming a part of the apparatus is divided into spaced zones by peripherally encircling coil segments which are rigidly joined to the supporting rod.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a merchandising display apparatus of the character described wherein any number of specific composite skeletal display fixtures may be created from a plurality of elongate tubular rods by forcing the ends of selected rods into tapered sockets of spherical coupling members.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a light weight yet rigid and sturdy merchandising display fixture formed of plurality of hollow tubular rods with the ends of intersecting rods force fitted into radially directed tapered sockets of spherical coupling members.

Other objects of the invention in part will be obvious and in part will be pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the merchandising display apparatus hereinafter described and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a. merchandising display horse constructed in accordance with the invention and illustrating a plurality of garments suspended from a horizontal supporting rod forming a part thereof;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a merchandising display tree constructed in accordance with the invention and showing several garments suspended from horizontal supporting rods.

FIG. 3 is a further perspective view showing an etagere constructed in accordance with the invention with a plurality of articles draped over various horizontal supporting rods while still other articles are suspended from other supporting rods;

FIG. 4 is a top view of a connecting sphere which is used to construct the display apparatus;

H6. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4 and further illustrating a tubular rod one end of which has been forced into a socket of the connecting sphere and the other end of which has been covered by a spherical cap; and

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a plurality of tubular rods of different lengths, showing the variety of-sizes of rods which may be joined together through the employment of the connecting spheres to form a display apparatus embodying the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The knock-down merchandising display of the instant invention is formed of a plurality of tubular metal rods in a skeletal fashion with wooden connecting spheres having a plurality of tapered radial sockets joining ends of rods oriented along intersecting lines. The mouth of each of the sockets is of a diameter greater than the diameter of the tubular rods while the base of the socket is of a smaller diameter. When the end of a rod is forced into a socket, the tapered side walls of the socket tightly wedgingly grip the ends of the rods. Thus a lightweight but strong and rigid skeletal merchandising display fixture is erected. Because of the great strength of the structure thus formed, many articles of merchandise may be displayed without the hazard of collapsing the display fixture.

Along the outer surface of each of the cylindrical tubular rods a plurality of longitudinally spaced helical coil segments are fixed. Each of these segments has an inner diameter which is approximately the same as the outer diameter of the tubular rod. The coil segments are formed of a metal wire and are welded, e.g. electric spot welded, to the'outer surface of the tubular rods. The spaced coil segments serve to divide the rods into zones each of which may individually carry articles of the same size or color, for instance. Additionally, the spaced coil segments serve a decorative purpose simulating a bamboo structure.

' play horse 10, a display tree 12 and a display etagere 14. Other typical forms not illustrated, are free standing screens, boxes,

shelves and stands. Each of these composite skeletal display units is formed of a plurality of hollow elongate tubular cylinidrical metal rigid rods l6-which are joined at adjacent ends by '.-connecting spheres 18 to form the composite skeletal display structure. An almost infinite variety of different sizes and shapes of display structures may be formed from the display apparatus of the present invention. The possibilities are limit less depending solely upon the ingenuity and imagination of I the retailer.

All of the rods which are used in the display apparatus are of uniform cylindrical outer diameter. The rods are hollow and formed of metal to provide maximum strength with a minimum weight. The endsof each rod are square, i.c. perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rod, which facilitates the engagement of the rod ends within the sockets of the connecting spheres.

The rods included in the display apparatus are of varying lengths ranging, by way of example, from 6 inches to 36 inches and are illustrated in FIG. 6. Along the length of each rod are {helical coil segments 20 which are evenly longitudinally spaced apart and serve to divide a rod into zones of equal lengths.

Each of the coil segments is formed of a few, e.g. two,

touching convolutions of a helical coil of metal wire. The inner diameter of the helix is approximately equal to the outer -cylindrical diameter of the rod. To assemble a rod, the coil .segments are slid along the length of the rod to the desired positions; A preferred spacing for the coil segments is approximately 4 inches with rods of l2, 18, 24 and 30 inch lengths while smaller rods approximately 6 inches in length are divvided into two equal zones by a single coil segment.

The coil segments are permanently secured to the rods by welding, e.g. electrical spot welding.

In a composite skeletal display fixture formed of rods 20 of "equal or varying or mixed lengths, the ends of rods oriented -.-along intersecting lines disposed in a single plane are secured .together by connecting spheres 18. To engage a rod and a connecting sphere, the end of the rod is forced into one of a plurralityof radial sockets 22 formed within the sphere. Each socket includes a mouth 24 having a diameter greater than the diameter of the rod and a base 26 of a diameter smaller than .the diameter of the rod. The taper angle ofa socket is typically small, e.g. in the order of for the included angle.

A tapered wall 28 extends between the mouth and the base of each socket. When the end of the rod is forced into the socket, the peripheral end edge of the rod will engage the wall 28 and tightly wedgingly jam within the socket. The sphere is constructed of a softer material than the metal rods, e.g. hard wood. Thus the wall yields slightly so as to resiliently grip the end of the rod whereby a tight connection is made before the 'rf'od bottoms against the base of the socket. This engagement is quite secure and when considering the relative lengths of the rods and total sizes of all of the c'brnposite skeletal display arrangements, serves to produce an effectively rigid connection between intersecting rods and provides a highly, sturdy and stable display fixture.

The radial sockets are distributed on an equatorial plane around the periphery of the connecting sphere at evenly spaced 45 center-to-center intervals. Further sockets are positioned'at the poles and at 45 intervals along two further planes perpendicular to the equatorial plane, and to one another, and passing through the poles. Because two of the sockets are common to the equatorial plane and to one of the further planes and two more sockets are common to the equatorial plane and the other further plane, a total of eighteen individual sockets are distributed in an evenly spaced pattern around the sphere. Thus not only are perpendicular joints possible (wherein rods are mutually perpendicular) but, additionally, the joining of two rods at 45", 225, 270 and 315 is possible. If desired, the additional sockets in either or both further planes may be omitted. i

In forming a specific skeletal display with the equipment of the present invention, several individual rods having free ends, i.c. not connected to or joined by connecting spheres, may be utilized. To prevent garments or articles displayed from falling or slipping from such free ends, a spherical end cap 30 is provided. The cap 30 is formed of hardwood in a manner similar to that of the connecting spheres but includes only a single radial tapered socket 32 which is forced onto the free end of a rod.

The socket 32 has an open mouth 34, a base 36 and a tapered wall 38 extending between the mouth and the base. The mouth 34 is of a diameter greaterthan, and the base 36 is of a diameter less than, the outer diameter of the rod. Thus, when the free end of the rod is forced into the socket, it engages the side wall and is tightly resiliently wedged therein. Thereby inadvertent removal of the cap is prevented. The caps may be utilized not only to prevent garments or articles from falling off the ends of rods, but also serve as safety devices preventing injuries which might occur when customers are in the vicinity of a skeletal display having rods with exposed sharp free ends. Furthermore, the caps are useful as feet when'engaged with the free ends of legs as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The feet thus formed prevent damage to flooring material and additionally provide smooth surfaces which enable a skeletal display to be slid about.

A retailer will first preferably design or select a skeletal display such as the display tree 12 illustrated in FIG. 2. He will then select the number of rods of each length which are required for such composite structure. I

To form the tree structure of FIG. 2, for example, four legs each of which are of uniform length and include two zones divided by a single coil segment will be required. The ends of the four legs are forced into connecting sphere sockets which are spaced 45 apart from a pole and lie in two planes which intersect perpendicularly at the pole. Another and longer rod is inserted within the socket at the opposite pole to project vertically. The latter rod illustrated is divided into five zones by four spaced coil segments and would be roughly 20 inches in length, The upper end of this rod is wedged within a polar socket of another connecting sphere. Four additional rods are now wedged within perpendicularly spaced equatorial sockets of the upper sphere. These last mentioned rods are approximately 12 inches in length and are divided into three zones by two spaced coil segments. The last-mentioned rods project horizontally and, over them, the articles to be displayed-may be draped. Within any one of the zones a plurality of garments either of one color or of one size may be positioned. At the merchants option a colorful display may be created with single articles or garments draped over or within desired zones. The coil segments which serve to divide the zones are rigidly secured to the rods and thus prevent customers from sliding a plurality of hangers along a rod, thereby providing a spacing arrangement which ensures an even clothing distribution density along the rod.

lt should be noted that the free ends of the horizontally disposed rods illustrated in FIG. 2 are capped and, additionally, caps are secured to the free ends of the four legs to provide fcct.

An alternate form of the structure would utilize the vertical rod as a single leg, the lower end of which is secured within a pole of a connecting sphere. The leg would be stabilized by positioning four shorter rods within sockets spaced 90 apart along the equatorial plane of the connecting sphere. The free ends of the stabilizing rods are forced either within connecting spheres or within caps having the same spherical diameter as the connecting spheres.

The construction of the skeletal display fixtures illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 is apparent from the above discussion and therefore a detailed explanation is not included. Further possible skeletal display fixtures which are practicable include cubes and other geometric forms.

It thus will be seen that there are provided merchandising display apparatuses which achieve the various objects of the invention and which are well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the present invention and as various changes might be made in the embodiments set forth above, it is to be understood that all matter herein described or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative andnot in a limiting sense.

lclaim:

1. A skeletal merchandising display fixture suitable for displaying articles of merchandise by attractively suspending the articles and further suitable for rapid and easy disassembly and assembly, said skeletal merchandising display fixture comprising a plurality of square ended cylindrical rods, every pair of said rods lying within a plane common to that pair and in intersecting lines, a'plurality of connecting spheres, each connecting sphere including a plurality of radially inwardly directed sockets, each of said sockets having a mouth and a base, a smooth conical wall interconnecting said base and said mouth, said mouth being of a diameter larger than said base, the diameter of said cylindrical rods being smaller than the diameter of the mouth of the socket and greater than the diameter of the base of the socket, every pair of rods being interconnected at their ends, said connected ends being wedged in different sockets of a connecting sphere, the rods and spheres being of differing hardnesses whereby the ends of the rods tightly wedgingly resiliently engage the walls of the sockets, at least one horizontally disposed rod, said horizontally disposed rod being interconnected to the remaining rods of said fixture by at least one other connecting sphere, the horizontal rod having at least one projection extending from the outer surface thereof, said projection lying within a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the horizontal rod, said fixture further including at least one rod having a substantial vertical component to act as a leg for supporting the horizontal rod in a horizontal plane.

2. A skeletal merchandising displayfixture constructed in accordance with claim 1 wherein the connecting spheres are constructed of hardwood and the cylindrical rods are constructed of metal, the ends of the rods which are inserted into the sockets of the connecting spheres yieldingly expanding the walls of the sockets, the socket walls resiliently gripping the ends of the rods.

3. A skeletal merchandising display fixture constructed in accordance with claim 2, wherein the end of the rod jams into the socket wall and becomes tightly seated therein before the end of the rod contacts the base of the socket.

4. A skeletal merchandising display fixture constructed in accordance with claim 1, wherein the fixtureincludes at least one rod having an end which is free and not seated within the socket of a connecting sphere, a spherical cap, said cap having a socket formed therein, said cap socket having a mouth and a base, a smooth conical wall extending between the cap socket mouth and the cap socket base, the cap socket mouth being of a larger diameter than the cap socket base, the diameter of the rods being less than the diameter of the cap socket mouth and greater than the diameter of the cap socket base, the free end being tightly wedged against the cap socket wall.

5. A skeletal merchandising display fixture constructed in accordance with claim 4, wherein the rod having the free end is horizontally disposed, the cap serving to prevent articles draped over or suspended from the horizontally disposed rod from accidentally slipping off the end thereof.

6. A skeletal merchandising display fixture constructed in accordance with claim 4, wherein the rod having the free end ale 7. it skeletal merchandising display fixture constructed in accordance with claim}, wherein some of .the sockets are evenly distributed at 45 intervals throughout an equatorial plane of the sphere, further sockets are distributed throughout a plane perpendicular to said equatorial plane and passing through the center of this sphere, the sockets lying within the said second mentioned plane being evenly distributed at 45 intervals.

8. A skeletal merchandising display fixture constructed in accordance with claim 1, wherein the projection comprises a wire helical coil segment, said segment having a helical coil diameter approximating the cylindrical diameter of the horizontal rod, said helical coil segment being concentrically positioned on the horizontal rod intermediate the ends thereof.

9. A skeletal merchandising display fixture constructed in accordance with claim 8, wherein the horizontal rod is formed of metal.

10. A skeletal merchandising display fixture constructed in accordance with claim 1, wherein a plurality of projections are provided, each of said projections comprising a helical coil wire segment, each of the segments having a helical coil diameter approximating the cylindrical diameter of the cylindrical rods, said helical coil segments being concentrically positioned on the cylindrical rods at spaced intervals along the lengths thereof, the cylindrical rods being formed of metal, the helical coil segments being welded to the rods. 

